By Ben Kerrigan-
Tommy Robinson did not go to court to be questioned about his finances because of mental health issues caused by being harassed, the High Court has been told.
Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, had been expected at a hearing in March over an unpaid legal bill after he lost a libel case brought against him by a Syrian teenager last year.
Jamal Hijazi successfully sued Robinson after the then-schoolboy was assaulted at Almondbury Community School in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, in October 2018.
Following a pre-trial hearing in November 2020, Robinson was ordered to pay more than £43,000 in legal costs.
Earlier this year, Mr Hijazi’s lawyers successfully applied for an order requiring Robinson to return to court to answer questions about his finances on March 22, but the 39-year-old failed to attend.
The case was referred to a High Court judge who ordered the English Defence League founder to go to court on Friday for a preliminary hearing about whether he had committed a contempt of court.
He is, for better or worse, somewhat of a notorious figure
As he entered the Royal Courts of Justice in London on Friday morning, Robinson described the hearing as “boring crap”.
Oliver McEntee, representing Robinson, told the High Court the 39-year-old was facing mental health issues and could provide medical evidence.
He said: “My instructions are he has been suffering and was at the relevant time suffering from a number of mental health issues that he says are attributable to harassment by a number of individuals.
The English Defence League founder, real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, missed the hearing in March to discuss money he owed after losing a libel case.
He was successfully sued by a Syrian teenager who was the victim of an attack at a West Yorkshire school featured in a viral video.
On Friday, Robinson attended a hearing at the same court in London.
Robinson’s barrister Oliver McEntee told judge Mr Justice Nicklin: “He has been suffering from a number of mental health issues he says are attributable to harassment by a number of individuals.”
The barrister told the High Court that medical evidence could be provided.
Mr Justice Nicklin said he would consider whether Robinson was in contempt of court at a full hearing on 1 August.